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Melvin LaVar Turpin, 91

Melvin LaVar Turpin, 91
After two years without the companionship of his loving wife of 68 years he is now reunited with her. Our loving father and grandfather Melvin LaVar Turpin, 91, of Thomas passed away at his home on Oct. 1, 2012 from natural causes.
He was born Feb. 13, 1921 in Thomas, the son of Edward Richard and Dora Emma Noack Turpin.
He attended school at Wilson and then Thomas.
He married Zola Porter on Jan. 26, 1943, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They made their home in Thomas.
During World War II he was drafted into the Army where he fought in the Pacific Theater. Upon returning from the war he became a farmer for a while and then was taught the plumbing business by his uncle and started his own plumbing business called LaVar Turpin Plumbing.
He was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he has served faithfully in many positions. He and his wife served in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple for 12 years. He also served three missions for the church with his wife as his companion. One was a Blackfoot South Stake Mission, another to the Fiji Suva Mission from 1987-1989 and finally to the Family History Center Mission in Salt Lake City from 1995-1996.
LaVar loved spending time in Island Park and upon returning from their missions would spend summers at the cabin in Island Park and winters at the home in Thomas and later at their home in Ammon.
His family was most important to him and he enjoyed spending time with each one. He tried to attend all his children’s and grandchildren’s special activities and programs.
He is survived by his children, Zoanne (Kent) McGarry, Pingree; Larry (Cherie) Turpin, Thomas; Steven (LeeAnn) Turpin, Pocatello; Kayleen (Rick) Miller, Uthaca, New York; Randy (April) Turpin, Thomas and Kevin (Daurene) Turpin, Orem, Utah; 36 grandchildren; 59 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Zola; his parents; three grandchildren, Mark, Michael and Merilee Murdock; a son-in-law, Denis E. Murdock; great-grandson, Ryker Taylor; his brother, Donald Turpin; and sisters, Marva Turpin and Valene Bithell.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 8, 2012 at the Hawker Funeral Home, 132 S. Shilling Avenue in Blackfoot. The family will meet with friends on Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home and again on Monday for an hour prior to the service. Interment will be in the Riverside-Thomas Cemetery.
The family suggest in lieu of flowers a memorial be made to the LDS Humanitarian Fund at 50 East North Temple Street, Floor 7, Salt Lake City, Utah 84150-6890.
Condolences may be sent to the family at hawker@hawkerfuneralhome.com.